Trick chair.



E DE MOULIN.- TRICK CHAIR. nrmoumn 1-11.51) mus, 1910.

' Patented M22191).

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Inventor,

I Attorneys.

Witnesses B. DE. MOULIN.

TRICK CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED I1! 9, 1910.

Patented Nov. 22; 1910.

lnven Attofn eys ERASTUS DE MOULIN, 0F GREENVILLE, ILLINOIS.

TRICK CHAIR.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 22, 1910.

Application filed May 9, 1910. Serial No. 560,335.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERASTUS DE MoULIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenville, in the county of Bond and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Trick Chair, (Case 13,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to trick chairs such as are intended particularly for use in connection with the initiation exercises of secret societies and the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a strong, simple, durable and inexpensive chair of the character specified which is thoroughly practical and efficient in operation and in which the number of parts are reduced to a minimum.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described. and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification :Figure 1 is a side elevation of a chair constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the combined brace and trigger of the improved chair. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the releasing device. Fig. 6 is a similar view, of the upper link of the trigger shown in Fig. 4:.

Like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts in the diiferent figures of the drawing.

The chair of the present invention is constructed with a back 1 which is extended downward to form the front legs 2 thereof. The side pieces 1 of the back and front legs of the chair are connected with each other by means of the cross pieces 5. Extending downward from an intermediate point on the front legs 2 are the rear legs 3 which are rigidly connected with the front legs as indicated at 1 and serve to produce a rigid V- shaped support for the chair. The rear legs 3 are connected with each other adjacent their lower ends by means of the cross piece 6. The seat 7 of the chair is pivotally connected at 8 with the back frame 1 and is adapted, when released in the manner hereinafter described, to drop downward at its forward end so as to cause the person sitting thereon to slide downward to the floor.

The means for supporting the seat 7 and for causing it to drop when desired, preferably comprises a combined brace and break joint or trigger mechanism which includes a link 10 as shown in Figs. 1 and 6, said link 10 at its upper end being pivotally connected at 11 with a plate 12 which is bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the bottom of the seat 7. Adjacent its lower end, the link 10 is formed with a flattened extension 14; which is fitted between a pair of parallel links 15-l5 and is pivotally connected therewith by means of the pivot pin 16. The parallel links 1515 at their lower ends, pivotally surround a cross piece 17 which connects the frame bars 22 of the chair. Pivotally mounted upon the cross piece 17 between the links 15-l5 is a releasing device such as is shown in Fig. 5, said releasing device having a transverse opening 18 to receive the cross piece 17 and having a flattened extension 19 which fills the space between the links 15-15 and is adapted to engage an extension or lug 20 formed on the link 10 said extension 20 having a laterally extending portion 21 which bears against the upper surface of one of the links 15 and serves to prevent the joint formed by the links 10 and 15 from breaking downward but permits said joint to swing freely upward. In addition to the extension 19, the releasing device is formed with an upward extension or handle 22 having an eye 23 at the upper end thereof for connection with a draw cord 24. When the parts are in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, the break joint mechanism serves to support the seat 7 but when the cord 24 is pulled, the joint breaks upward and thus permits the seat 7 to drop.

For the purpose of rounding out the appearance of the chair, leg extensions 30 are employed, these extensions being in alinement with the foot pieces 3 and being pivotally connected with the chair seat 7 as indicated at 31. At their lower ends, the leg extensions 30 project on the inside of the frame pieces 1,the foot pieces 3 being similarly bolted to the inner sides of said frame pieces 1. The joints between the foot pieces theupper edge of the extension 19 of nae" releasing device so that when said releasing device isoperated to break the joints which support the seat 7 it will at the same time operate to throw the two leg extensions 30 in an upward direction out of alinement with the foot pieces 3 so as to permit the seat to drop. The oint between the leg extensions 30 and the foot pieces 3 is hidden behind the frame pieces 1 so as to be invisible.

After the chair has been dumped in the manner described, it is only necessary to catch hold of the forward edge of the seat 7 and lift it into horizontal .position. The break joint and the leg extensions 30' then drop by gravity into the position shown in Fig. 1. It is not necessary therefore to use springs or any other mechanism for returning the parts to normal position, and the operation of restoring the chair to position for reuse is so simple that anyone can understand and perform it. 7

It is readily apparent that a chair constructed in accordance with thepresent invention is strong, simple, durable and inexpensive in construction as well as thoroughly efficient in operation.

l/Vhat is claimed as new is 1. A trick chair having a tiltable seat, trigger mechanism therefor, an outer pair of supporting legs, and an inner pair of supporting legs having joints therein located inside of and concealed by the adjacent portions of the outer legs.

2. A trick chair having a tiltable seat, and break joint mechanism independent of the legs of the chair for normally supporting said seat and for causing it to drop when desired.

3. A trick chair having a supporting back, a seat pivotally connected therewith, and break joint mechanism independent of the legs of the chair and connected at its upper end with the seat and at its lower end with said supporting back.

4t. A trick chair comprising a supporting back, a seat pivotally connected therewith, a break joint mechanism connected at its lower end with said supporting back and at its upper end with said seat, and a releasing device for breaking the oint of said mechanism to drop said seat.

5. A trick chair having a supporting back, foot pieces rigidly connected therewith, a seat pivotally connected therewith, leg extensions connected with said seat and lying normally in alinement with said foot pieces, said foot pieces and le extensions being on the inside of the side pieces of said supporting back whereby the joint between the foot pieces and the extension thereof is concealed.

6. A trick chair comprising a supporting back, foot pieces rigidly connected therewith, a seat pivotally connected therewith, a cross piece connecting the side pieces of said supporting back, a pair of parallel links pivotally mounted on said cross piece, a single link pivotally mounted between said parallel links and connected at its upper end with said seat, a releasing device pivotally mounted on said cross piece between said parallel links, and being adapted to engage the upper link to break the oint, a pair of leg extensions pivotally connected with the sides of said seat and lying normally in alinement with said foot pieces, the lower ends of said leg extensions and the upper ERASTUS DE MOULIN.

lVitnesses H. C. DIEIIL, C. H. DAVIS. 

